Dry closet



N. D. FLOWERS.

DRY cLosEr. APPLICATION FILED AG 22, 1921. v1 ,420,420. l Patented June 20, 1922.

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NEAT n. FLOWERS, 'or BAILEY, 'NORTH CAROLINA.

DRY oLosEfr.:

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Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 20, l1922.

Application filed August 22, 1921.' Serial No.v 494,236.

To all @Ic/0m t may concer/a.'

Be it known that I, NnAr D. FLOWERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bailey, in the county of Wake and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Dry Closets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in dry-closets.

An important object of the invention is to provide a` dry-closet which is fly proof, and has means whereby the cover or lid may be raised by the user by means of depressing a treadle, thereby dispensing with the necessity of placing the hand-s upon the cover or seat.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 1-1 of Figure 2,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l, with the cover closed,

Fig. 3 is a similar view with the cover raised, and,

Fig. et is a perspective view of the operating means.

The device comprises an inner casing or box 5, surrounded by an outer casing or box 6, spaced therefrom, forming an air space 7. A Ventilating pipe 8 leads into the air space 7, at the rear of the casing.

The numeral 9 designates a top member, rigidly secured to the casings 5 and 6, and covering the air space 7. This top member is provided with a central opening 10, which coincides with the bore of the casing 5, Fig. 1.

The numeral 11 designates a vertically swinging seat, having the usual opening 12. rThe seat 11 is hinged at the rear thereof, at Arranged upon the seat 11 and adapted to cover the opening 12 is a lid or cover 15, hinged thereto, at 16.

The numeral 17 designates vertically swinging levers, operating within slots 18, formed in the top member 9. Each lever 17 is pivotally mounted upon a pin or pivot element 19, and projects above the top member whereby its upper end is slidably mounted within a staple 20, rigidly secured to the lowerside of the cover 15. The lever 17 and staple 2O also operate within a` slot 21, formed in the seat 11. rllhe lower end of the-lever 17 is pivotally connected at 22 with alink 23, extending forwardly for pivotal connection, at 24, with a bell-crank lever 25. This bellacrank lever extends eXteriorly of the casings through'ther opening 26,'and is pivotally supported thereinrby a pin'27 or.

the like. yThe bell-crank lever 25 andv associated elements are of course mounted with in the air space 7. The outer ends of the bell-crank levers are connected by a board 28, constituting a treadle or foot rest.y The numeral 29 designates a vertically swinging lever, pivotally supported between its ends, as shown at 30. The upper end of this lever is connected with a link 31, having its rear end pivotally secured to the pivot element 22. The lower end of the lever 29 is pivotally connected with a link 33 which in turn is pivotally secured to a. staple ,34, which is secured to the seat 11. The lower end of each link 33 has connection with a retractile coil spring 35, the upper end of which is secured to a stationary hook 36.

The numeral v37 designates guard strips, secured to the bottom of the seat 11, and slidably engaging the walls of the opening 10, to prevent lies having access to the interior of the apparatus. These guard strips eX- tend about the sides and front of the opening. Y

As shown in Figure 2, the spring 35 returns the 'cover 15 to the closed position, and

retains the seat 11 slightly raised. Vith the elements in this position, the user steps upon the treadle 28, which swings the bell-k y crank levers 25 forwardly. This action draws the links 23 forwardly and swings levers 17 upwardly, thereby opening the cover 15. The link 31 is alsodrawn forwardly and the lever 29 turned upon its pivot. Lever 29 now draws link 33 downwardly, and the seat 11` is shifted to the lowermost position. Should the device be used by a child whose legs are too short to reach the treadle 28, while sitting upon the seat 11, the holding of this seat in the lowered position will retain the cover 15 elevated.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit of my inventionor the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention,4 I claim: y

l. In apparatus of the character described, a casing, a seat hinged to the casing to swing vertically, a lid hinged upon the seat to swing vertically, a lever pivoted to the casing and having connection with the li'd, abell-crank lever pivotally connected withvthe casing, a link: connecting the bellcrank lever and thel first named lever, manually operated means to swing the bellcrank' lever, a lever pivotally mounted betweenA its` ends, a link pivotally connectin one end of thelast named leverand one en of the lirst namedlever, a link pivotally connected between its ends withthe opposite end of the last named lever and having pivotal connection with `the seat, and a spring connectedwith the opposite end of the last named link.

2. In apparatus of the character described, a casing, a seat hinged to the casing to. swing vertically, a cover hinged to the seat to swing vertically', a lever .pivotally mounted upon the casing and having connection with the cover, a bell-crank lever connected with the lever and adapted to be manually operated, a lever pivotally mounted betwen its ends, a link connecting the last named lever and the rst named lever, means connecting the K last named lever and the seat', and yielding means secured to the connectlngmeans; Y

In testimonywhereof I aiiix my signature.

NEAT. D. FLOVERS, 

